Best of Brooklyn: Shopping

From a giant pink elephant to a child’s bracelet, here’s everything we want to buy right now. Or have someone buy for us.

Best Find at the Brooklyn Flea: Humongous Pink Ceramic ElephantThis elephant graced the Flea for weeks on end, before disappearing one weekend in August. We guess someone finally succumbed to its charms. Or maybe its “existence” was always an illusion, the lingering effects of a three-day bender we once had in Barstow. Hard to say.Brooklyn Flea, Fort Greene

Best Pharmacy in Brooklyn: Ballard PharmacyThis corner pharmacy is a reminder of what we lose when we’re taken over by chain stores. Everyone who works at Ballard is kind, helpful, and will guide you through the sometimes annoying, frequently expensive world of getting a perscription filled. We’re genuinely sorry for everyone whose local pharmacy this isn’t.226 Prospect Park SW, Windsor Terrace

Best Affordable (And Quality) Vintage Store: Friends NYCLots of vintage places are either full of stained and ratty items or have museum-quality pieces that we’d need to take out a loan in order to buy. Friends manages to bridge the gap between affordable and quality, and we’re grateful for it.56 Bogart Street, Bushwick

Best Candle to Make Your Home Smell The WAY a John Cassavetes Film Looks: 85 Diesel Candle by D.S. & DurgaAvailable at Twisted Lily: 360 Atlantic Avenue, Boerum Hill

Best Spin-Off Line: Little ScoshaWe adore all of Scosha Woolridge’s adult jewelry for women and men, so we were particularly happy to learn about her new line, Little Scosha, which is the perfect introduction to jewelry for tiny guys and girls. Plus, there are monogrammable charms available to add that extra-special personal touch.64 Grand Street, Williamsburg

Best Rug that Will Make You Feel Like You’re Walking on a Tiffany Lamp: The Grey Shapes rug from designer Alyson Fox and Hawkins New YorkAvailable at Collyer’s Mansion: 368 Stratford Road, Ditmas Park

Best Grocery Store for Loud Party Music: Key FoodHead here around mid-afternoon pretty much any day of the week for anything but your standard grocery store soundtrack. This place is bumping for real. It’ll make you smile and maybe shake. Also, excellent beer selection.72 Wyckoff Avenue, Bushwick

Best Beauty Supplies for Literally Any of Your Beauty Needs: Shen BeautyWe adore this jewel box of a beauty shop which carries everything your skin could possibly need. Cultishly followed brands like Amanda Lacey and RMS are represented here, and it’s also a great place to get a facial or your eyebrows done.315 Court Street, Carroll Gardens

Best High Fashion-Low Budget Boutique: Article&This Smith Street gem has the kind of clothes, shoes, and accessories that we want to wear seven days a week, but whereas there’s plenty of other local places that suit those needs, most of the time, we can’t afford any of them. Not so with Article&, which manages to be both high fashion and affordable.198 Smith Street, Cobble Hill

Best Minimalist Piece of Jewelry: Sweet Nothing Choker from CatbirdSometimes you want something ornate suited only for special occasions, other times you want jewelry you can wear all the time. Sometimes you want both. Enter the Sweet Nothing choker, a highly elegant and sparingly designed piece of loveliness from Brooklyn’s beloved Catbird.219 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg